Blurring Shades of Gray
by DannyKen23
Summary: AU Myde desperately wishes to escape from his prison where his captors perform horrible experiments on him, and many others. With help of his friends and his shadow, Demyx, will he escape? Dem/Xig, Myd/Bra
1. Chapter 1

Everything was gray in his prison. Gray walls, gray doors, gray floors... it all got so tiring. Even his clothes were gray. It was enough to drive him mad, if he weren't already.

Myde pushed up off his bed, the springs creaking under his weight. He paced his small gray cell in the small amount of space available between the gray two beds. Lea should have been back by now. Their captors never kept them this long.

He stood by the gray door that was surrounded by an aura of icy coldness. His ears strained to pick up any noise, any at all that would signify they were bringing his friend back. There was nothing but silence that greeted his ears.

As he turned to walk back to his gray bed, sea blue eyes locked with eyes of the same shade. The similarities between him and this man were unmistakable. Their face of the same structure, their body the same size and shape, their hair the same style that they affectionately dubbed the 'mullethawk,' and their eyes that same striking shade of aqua blue. The differences between them were few. His skin was slightly paler than that of the other male's, just as his hair was a lighter shade of blond. Another difference was their clothes. This man wore black: long black coat, black gloves, black pants, and black boots. Black, wasn't that just a darker shade of gray?

The man he stared at could be his twin, if he weren't something much more intimate. This man was his shadow, or that was what the other prisoners called them. Each prisoner here had one. No one was really sure how they came into being, or what they fully were. All they knew was that the experiments performed on them by their captors caused the shadows to come into being. And that only those with shadows could even see and hear them.

That was something that they had over their captors. See, the captors didn't have shadows. They didn't have the horrible experiments performed upon them that caused the shadows to come to be.

He wasn't sure who started it, but each prisoner created a name for the shadow from the letters of their own name with an 'x' added. Myde had named his shadow Demyx. A ghost of a smile passed over his shadow's lips, the reason for that smile coming into the light when the gray door behind Myde slid open.

A young man with flaming red hair that defied the law of gravity, his hair spiked up in a way that looked lethal, stumbled into the room. His dark green eyes were glazed over in pain as his legs gave out and he dropped to his knees on the gray floor. This young man was Lea, his room mate, his friend.

Axel, Lea's shadow, skirted in just before the gray door was slammed closed. His eyes locked with Axel's, which were two shades of green lighter than Lea's. Axel was garbed in the same uniform as Demyx, all shadows wore it. It was another thing that no one was sure of, why the same uniform? Or hell, no one even knew where the uniforms came from.

Axel was much lankier than his friend Lea, and his hair, while still just as spiky and lethal looking, spiked downwards. Secretly, it reminded Myde of Sonic the Hedgehog, but he was sure the other male wouldn't appreciate being told such a thing.

Moving in synch, he and Axel crouched to lift Lea up, an action all of the males had performed numerous times. A groan escaped Lea's parted lips, the sleeves of his gray shirt dropping down to show bruises, new and old, and needle marks. Myde knew there would be more scars littering Lea's body, though didn't know which area they would have picked to cut today. Nor could he predict what Lea would go through for the next few hours.

Lea could get off easy and the pain would fade to a tolerable soreness, or he could go through anything ranging from the chills to puss filled bumps forming all over his body. It all depended on what their captors chose to inject into him today.

Myde adjusted his friend so that he could rest comfortably, tucking him in with the care one would show to a new born maybe. He settled on Lea's gray bed beside the gray pillow before stroking his fingers through the brilliant red locks that seemed even brighter when compared to the gray background. Lea's eyes slowly drifted closed as Myde hummed to him.

"Everything will be alright Lea."

He glanced over at Axel, who had opted to join Demyx on his gray bed. The two shadows looked back at him; he could tell from their gazes that they doubted his words. If Demyx doubted him, did that mean he doubted himself?

"…Everything will be alright."

I am not sure if I'll be continuing this or not. All depends on if people want me to continue. If I do, it will become Demyx/Xigbar and Myde/Braig. Not sure what other couples would form.

Suggestions are welcome. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Sirens ripped Myde from his slumber. He slit open sleep blurred eyes to find himself staring at red. It seemed that during the nap, he and Lea had twisted themselves into some strange form of cuddling. Lea had a tight grip on his arm, which now had a smear of drool on it. They said nothing to each other as they pulled apart and sat up, knowing that they would not be able to hear each other over the blare of the sirens.

The lights of their gray room pulsated in time with the rise and fall of the siren's pitch. Their room moving from total darkness to an almost blinding brightness with each pulse. Their gaze locked with that of their shadow's, who sat on the bed opposite from them. One thing raced through their minds.

Someone had tried to break out.

Rarely would someone attempt something so bold as to escape from their gray prison. Mainly because no one ever succeeded. They would only get so far before the guards rounded them up. Then they would be locked away in the little gray box known as solitary. A place where they were better off.

See each escape gave the guards an excuse to step over that line that divided strict and cruelty. Every harsh thought they had ever had but couldn't act upon, they finally could. Beatings, humiliation, and much more came in over abundance after an escape attempt.

Such things drove the other prisoners mad, like a caged monkey being jabbed with a stick. They wanted to retaliate, but to do so against a guard would be suicide. That left only one other outlet, the very one who got them into this mess, the one who tried to escape. After leaving solitary, rarely would they continue to spend time in the land of the living. Most would be found in the showers, their body already cold.

That was why Myde hated the showers. Scrubbing clean in a place of death seemed so twisted, plus he wouldn't put it past some to try and stab him in the shower. Just for fun.

The gray door to their gray cell was shoved open by two guards who looked like demons in the flashing light, their guns poised to shoot if either Lea or Myde got out of line. Wordlessly, the two boys fell into routine and stood. Their shadows falling into place as they marched out of the room and out into the gray hall.

Other prisoners, with their shadows in tow, marched down the gray halls. Each prisoner garbed in gray and their shadow in black. Only the guards had color, their uniform an olive green in color.

Myde found himself making a mental beat to the thundering synchronized steps and the wailing of the siren. Oh how he missed music. He'd do nearly anything to be able to strum out a melody on his sitar again.

The long gray hall finally came to an end, opening into a large gray area. Gray walls, gray floor, gray ceiling, gray basketball hoops and benches….

He got so tired of gray. It felt as if the very color were sucking the life out of him. Would it have been so bad to let them have some green grass beneath their feet and a blue sky above their heads? Or maybe this was the purpose of the gray, to drain them?

Myde and Lea took their places on a picnic table as the sirens died off, each prisoner going to where they were ordered. This process would continue until all were gathered, and then the guards would do a head count. When that was finished, they'd all have to sit and wait until the escapee was recaptured. Then there would be a final head count, and if they were lucky, they'd get sent back to their rooms. All in all, the process would take a couple of hours.

"Talk about overkill," muttered Lea, his green eyes taking everything in as he exuded an air of boredom. Axel gave a snort of agreement before perching on the end of the picnic table. Demyx made himself comfortable on the ground and rested an arm on the bench next to Myde while muttering himself, "We're going to be out here forever."

"You're just grumpy because you're nap was ruined," retorted the spiky haired shadow, earning him a slap on the leg from the 'grumpy' Demyx. The red head proceeded to throw up his hands in a mocking manner of surrender to ward off any future attacks. "See what I mean?"

Demyx opened his mouth to retaliate, but then promptly closed it as they were joined by faces he had never seen before. Two older men sat across from Lea and Myde, their shadows standing behind them. Each practically exuding an aura of intimidation. Especially the one sitting across from Lea…

Demyx moved onto his knees, his head practically resting on Axel's lap as he peered at the broad shouldered male. Black hair was tied back in dread locks and he had sideburns that seemed to go on forever. And what was with his eye brows? They looked like upside down checkmarks!

The young shadow looked to this man's shadow and bit back a snort of amusement upon discovering they both had the same eye brows. The only real different between the two was that the shadow's hair was much longer, the dread locks reaching past his shoulders. And, were those pointed ears?

Demyx's eyes narrowed as moved more from behind his Axel shield. Yep, those were pointy ears. How odd…

Just as he was starting to toy with the oddity of the ears and how the could keep up such hair here, two sets of eyes of such a shade of dark blue that they were almost black snapped over to glare at Demyx. The young shadow read the silent message loud and clear, his curiosity was unwelcome.

He sheepishly grinned before pulling back and pushing to his feet. With the intention of retreating to hide behind by Lea and Myde, he turned and came face to face with the other strange shadow. The first things that caught his attention were the jagged scar running across this shadow's left cheek, and an eye patch where his right eye should have been.

"Wicked," murmured Demyx, his eyes locked on the scar. The young shadow's fingers twitched as the powerful urge to poke at the scar rose up. Would it feel rough? It looked like it would. How did he get it? A fight? But fights didn't often occur amongst shadows.

A snort drew his attention out of his thoughts and back to his new found object of curiosity. A gleaming yellow eye stared at him, the shadow's mouth twisted in a smirk that Demyx couldn't help but grin at.

As he more closely examined this shadow, the aura of intimidation seemed to diminish somewhat. He not only felt that his curiosity wasn't minded, but that it was welcomed. In fact, the other shadow seemed to be examining him just as closely.

Tanned skin, long black hair with strings of gray tied back in a ponytail, and another set of pointy ears. The ears intrigued Demyx, maybe they were elvish shadows? But then shouldn't they be at the North Pole and not here? Oh no wait, no Santa meant no elves. Damn. That blew that theory out of the water.

He turned back to get Myde's attention, the other shadow's staring feeling like it was burning into his back, only to find that Myde's attention was locked on the shadow's person. They stared at each other with such interest that Demyx felt afraid to get in the middle of it. Maybe this is what the human's meant when they spoke of other checking each other out? Demxy would have to ask Myde later. Or Axel and Lea… no, not Axel and Lea. The taunts would never end.

The man Myde had such interest in at the moment looked much like his shadow, yet strangely, like a younger of version of said shadow. There was no gray in his black hair, and it was just long enough for the tips to brush against his shoulder. No scar marred the flesh of his left, and there was no patch over his healthy right eye.

As Demyx watched, the man smirked and extended his hand to Myde. In a rough voice that made his stomach twist for reason he couldn't grasp, he said, "The name's Braig."

Demyx was so caught up in watching this, he didn't notice the man's shadow leaning in close. Not until he felt warm breath against his ear and that same voice saying, "And I'm Xigbar."


	3. Chapter 3

Myde warily eyed the offered hand. Mostly people went off into their own little groups here. Rarely was such a casual gesture made to bridge from one group to another. The point was to survive here, and that was more easily done when you stuck with those you knew best.

"I'm Demyx!"

All eyes snapped over to the shadow after he gave his cheerful reply. He simply stared back in such a clueless manner that Myde hung his head in shame. How could something that's supposed to be a piece of him just take the metaphorical leap without thinking first? Such a simple response nudges the door open for these strangers, and from the look in Xigbar's eye, it was a door the shadow planned pull that door wide open.

Xigbar's long arm wrapped itself around the younger shadow's shoulders in a sly manner as he smiled. One could only imagine what thoughts he was currently entertaining in his head as Demyx made no move to escape from his hold. "Nice to meet you Demyx."

Myde turned his gaze to Braig to find the hand still being offered. Challenge sparked in gold eyes, daring Myde to do as his shadow had and nudge open the door. He had no choice now. He would nudge open the door, and keep a tight grip on the knob. If that door were to open any further, it would be on his terms.

He reached out and clasped the rough hand of Braig's with his own calloused one.

"I'm Myde."

Braig stroked a thumb over the back of Myde's hand, feeling a small amount of satisfaction as it brought some red to the boy's face. Now if only he could get Myde alone. If what lurked beneath the boy's shell was as tantalizing as his face then something very… interesting could come from this. He could tell from those wary eyes that Myde would have a tough shell but, that's what hammers were for.

All too soon the warmth of the young hand was pulled from his as Lea flung an arm around Myde and pulled him close. Cocky green eyes clashed with gold, causing Lea to smirk.

"Don't go forgetting about me now, I'm Lea!"

Following his human's lead, Axel slid off the picnic table to pull Demyx from Xigbar. Wrapping an amiable arm about his friend's should, he casually leaned against Demyx while smirking himself. "And I'm Axel."

"Got it memorized?" said the two red heads in perfect unison.

The gauntlet had been laid. They knew what Braig and his shadow wanted, and they intended to see that he didn't get it.

Braig gauged the situation while looking over this new obstacle. Was it simply an over protective friend, or something more? Either way, now was not the time to start this battle. He would wait, and observe. Find out if this prize was even worth fighting for. He slid his gaze to his silent companion, then back to the boys.

"You'll have to forgive my brother," Braig reached over and slapped his companion on the shoulder, "he has no manners. This is Dilan. And that," he jerked a thumb back over his shoulder at Dilan's shadows, "is his equally rude shadow, Xaldin."

There was no response from the two males, but the air seemed to get a bit cooler. Their intimidating aura turned to one of a cool anger that promised retaliation later. Myde silently marveled at the two's ability to convey such messages without speaking or eye contact… or perhaps it was just all in his head.

"Great, now if we ever see your bodies lying somewhere, we'll be able to ID you when we report the incident to the guards."

"Lea!"

"What?" The red head gestured at the other two men, neither of which looked offended. In fact, Braig looked rather amused. "It's not like we're going to use their names for anything else after this."

The blond shook his head while mumbling, "Your brother isn't the only one without manners."

Clunky footsteps on gray concrete caused the group to fall silent. Eight sets of eyes, though only four that the one approaching them could see, rose up to stare at the guard. The guard held up his gray clipboard and read off four names and received four responses of, "Here."

Four names were checked off by a gray pen.

"Myde Lorn, you are to be escorted to the examination room."

"Yes sir." Myde slipped from his friend's warm hold and rose from the gray picnic table. Without glancing back, he followed the guard back to the gray hall. Demyx trailed behind his human, along with a gaze from yellow eyes.

"Stop staring at his ass old man!"

When Myde and his shadow were out of sight, Braig slide his attention to the fuming red head.

"His ass? Tch, as if. I've got better things to look at."

I don't own Kingdom Hearts.


	4. Chapter 4

The examination room, to captives, it was regarded as the deepest pit of hell. No one could tell you how much blood the room's gray floor had tasted. Or how many captives' screams of agony had bounced off the gray walls when the experiments went wrong. It was there that shadows where born, and it was the one place they could not enter.

Demyx was left to wait out in the gray hall as Myde was guided into the cold gray room. Nurses garbed in minty green scrubs prepared Myde for what was to come. His wrists and ankles were shackled to the gray gurney. An IV needle pierced his skin, sending chemicals into his body that caused his mind to lull. A mental fog rose up, blocking all coherent thoughts.

A man in a white lab coat entered the room. The doctor, enemy to all held captive in this gray prison. Some whispered of him being a demon. With how he acted, he very well could be.

The man leaned over Myde, bright blue eyes gleaming behind bangs as black as a raven's wing. Long hair, that was tied, fell from over the man's shoulder to tickle at Myde's cheek. A smile that could only be described as deranged twisted the man's lips as his bound patient let out a drugged giggle.

"Someone seems happy today," murmured the doctor. "That won't last."

Myde went cross-eyed as a mask was pressed to his face.

"Deep breaths now," crooned the doctor, Myde could not help but comply.

Inhale. Exhale.

Something was pressed to his skin, but his mind was to far away to give it much thought. Skin gave way beneath a sharp blade and the sticky crimson fluid that gave him life leaked out.

But this was unimportant…

Inhale. Exhale.

…his mind was already gone.

The world within his head was filled with the bright colors that he was denied daily. Soft baby blue grass covered the ground that undulated like waves lapping at the shore. Each movement rocking Myde as he lay upon the ground, a sitar the color of cherry wood clasped in one hand. He gazed up at the purple sun that lit up the pink sky, and smiled. This was his world. They could not touch him here.

He sat up, adjusting his sitar in preparation to play. There was no need to check if the instrument were in tune or not. It was always in tune here. Loving fingers stroked along the neck of the precious instrument. Of all the things from his life, he missed his sitar most.

It had been a gift from his grandmother; she had given it to him for his sixteenth birthday. Every night he would serenade the moon for hours on end, until his parents would finally make him go to bed. Such soft and beautiful music he and his instrument would make.

Arms garbed in black wrapped around his shoulders as another head rested against his.

"What will you play today?" inquired his shadow, whispering so as not to disrupt the peace of Myde's world.

"I'm not sure…"

Myde's fingers took up the familiar dance over strings to create a slow melody. Music notes rose up from the instrument to twist and weave through the air above the boys. Matching sea blue eyes watched the dance of the notes as the music washed their spirits clean.

"I would like to see them again," murmured Demyx.

"Who?"

"Braig and Xigbar." The shadow tore his gaze from the notes to lean forward and grin at his human. "They seemed nice."

Myde chose not to respond. At times, Demyx was to naïve for his own good. There was something off about that man and his shadow. And until he knew what that something was they were to be approached with the utmost caution.

A smirk twisted Myde's lips.

Oh yes, he would be seeing Braig again. He intended to make sure of that, and it would be on his own terms. They would go through the motions of getting to know each other, and see which cracked first.

Pain brought Myde back to the real world. It started as a low thrum in his left side, and then spread. Dry lips parted as he voiced his pain in a slur of jumbled unintelligible words.

"Doctor, he's awake."

His eyes fluttered opened to find that everything was covered in a gray fog. Blobs of a darker shade of gray moved beyond the fog, his mind registering that these must be people. When his mouth could form proper words, he rasped out, "I-I can't see."

"Subject is exhibiting signs of blindness, just like the other four."

"Take him away and keep him under watch. With the other four, the blindness was only temporary." The shackles were being removed from his wrists and feet, strong arms lifted him from the gurney. "You are to report the time when his blindness fades."

"If it doesn't?"

"That will be decided when the time comes."

What would happen, if his sight didn't come back?

Blindly, Myde was led out into what he assumed was the hall. His feet worked to try and keep up with whoever had a hold of him, but his left side was hurting so much. Each step sent a fresh bust pain through his body.

If his sight didn't come back, would he be deemed useless? Would they dispose of him?

The familiar creak of his room's door let his mind know just where it was. Rough hands shoved him into the room.

"Myde?"

Gentle hands took hold of his. Lea, he would take care of him. Another set of gentle hands. Lea and Axel. Both carefully guided him into a bed, a tingling in the back of his head starting to tell him that something was missing.

"Myde?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Demyx?"

* * *

I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I do own the Doctor.

Reviews are much appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.

Reviews are loved.

* * *

"Myde?"

His eyes, what was wrong with his eyes? Why couldn't he see? What had happened?

"Myde?!"

Desperation began to set in as Demyx baby stepped down the hall. To afraid to take steps much larger. It felt like he was walking through a thick smoke, unable to see beyond blurs. All that he had to guide him down the hall was the wall, which his hand was firmly pressed against as he toddled along. He was lost, practically blind, and he had lost Myde.

What would happen to him? What if he never found Myde again? What if his sight never came back?

What ifs continued to dance through the shadow's head, sending him spiraling down into a pit of hysteria. Logic flew out the window, his steps longer. Nothing else mattered other than finding Myde. His hand slipped from the wall that acted as his guide.

"Myde?!"

Demyx blindly ran down the hall, only coming to stop when his body collided with another.

"Greg? What happened?"

"I don't know, it felt like something ran into me."

The shadow's mind slammed back into reality. He ran into a guard. The biggest mistake any shadow could make, to so much as hint of their existence to a guard. A simple brush against them could get a shadow jumped during recreation time. What he'd just done, if any other shadows were to hear about this, he'd surely be killed. Or beaten to the point that he'd wish for death.

Strong hands gripped his shoulders, yanking him to his feet as the guards spoke of ghosts. Preparing for the worst, Demyx squeezed his eyes shut and made no move to resist.

"What the hell are you doing kid?" hissed a familiar voice into his ear. Things were so jumbled in his head that it took Demyx a moment to recognize that voice. When it clicked, he could only whimper out, "Xigbar?"

A grunt was the only response he received. The hands on his shoulders began to guide him back the way he came. And then even farther. They made so many twists and turns that Demyx knew they must not only be getting farther away from his room, but farther away from life in general.

Soon the only sounds the signified life, were the sounds of his and Xigbar's footprints echoing down the hall. Did he dare to break the silence that had fallen around them? Was Xigbar leading him off to his death? His teeth gnawed on his bottom lip as his thought raced. Tentatively, he broke the silence.

"Xigbar?"

"What kid?" grunted the other shadow in response. Their steps began to slow, Xigbar's hold loosened. Demyx squinted his eyes as he tried to make out where they were, but it was no good. Even if he had been able to see, he doubted he'd be able to tell were they were.

"Where are we?"

"A less frequented part of the facility." The hands began to turn Demyx, when they stopped he felt warm breath caressing his face. A foreign scent invaded the young shadow's nostrils, imprinting itself in his mind. The scent of Xigbar.

It wasn't an unpleasing scent; in fact it was quite the opposite. It brought to mind honey. He'd only ever had the sweet food once in his life, when Myde had allowed him to have some honey coated toast. From the moment the sweet treat had touched his tongue, it was love. The taste was forever engrained in his memory. And forever left him yearning for more.

Would Xigbar taste like honey?

"Hey kid, you still with me?"

Demyx snapped back to attention and nodded. Now was not the time to think of honey.

"What's up with your eyes kid?" A strengthening in the sweet scent that had his mind drooling over past memories told Demyx that Xigbar was now even closer. His tongue darted out to wet his lips before he responded, "I can't see."

"Can't see?" Cool air brushed his face, signaling that Xigbar had pulled back. With that cool air came disappointment at the loss of the honeyed scent. He wanted it back, that warmth and delicious scent. With its touch, he felt like everything would be alright.

"Must be from those damn experiments. Hate to see how Myde's doing if you're like this," continued Xigbar, seeming to not notice that the younger shadow's attention had drifted elsewhere.

Myde… humans… wait. Something was off here…

"Xigbar, where's Braig?"

"Back in his call," carelessly replied Xigbar, "Xaldin and I like to wander. Cell life just isn't our style."

Wander? Style? This man spoke as if leaving his human's side was something simple. For Demyx the thought was inconceivable. Being so far from Myde, it left him feeling lost, vulnerable, and insignificant. What was a shadow without their human?

"I need to get back to Myde," said Demyx, his voice coming out in a desperate plea.

Silence fell between them, and while Demyx could not see Xigbar's gaze, he could feel it. The way it burned into him, leaving a blazing trail as it roamed over him. Would Xigbar help him? Or would he laugh at his childish need to cling to his human?

"Alright kid. I'll help you out." The warm hands that still rested on Demyx's shoulders slowly began to need them, easing the tension that had built up in the younger shadow. "Just stop giving me that puppy dog look."

Demyx could not help but launch himself at the other shadow. Propelled by the burst of joy that shot up out of his gut to spread throughout his body. His arms wrapped around Xigbar as their bodies collided, the force sending them tumbling to the floor. A groan emitted from the shadow trapped beneath him, and he could not help but let out a small laugh.

"Sorry Xiggy."

"…Xiggy?"


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

Comment are loved 3

* * *

"Kid, you're going to have to let go of my arm."

Defiance met Xigbar's words as rather than release the male's arm, Demyx tightened his hold even more. At this rate, the kid would end up taking his arm right off. That would be just his luck too, to wind up with only one eye and one arm.

Draw on what patience he had left, Xigbar spoke with what he hoped was a soothing tone, "Listen kid, if you want to get back to Myde, then we have to get to the dining area. And if you want to get their before everyone's sent back to their cell for the night, you're going to have to let go of my arm."

Protest shined in Demyx's eyes, but before he could voice them, Xigbar cut him off.

"I get it, you're scared and can't really see, and blah blah," he smirked as he saw temper clouding over his companion's eyes, "I'm not going to leave you to wander around blindly. It's just easier to move if you're not latched onto my side."

When he saw the resolve in those sea blue eyes starting to waver, Xigbar offered up a compromise. He grasped Demyx's hands, wrenching them off his arm to guide them to his hand instead. "Just be sure that you don't break my fingers."

Demyx released a heavy sigh and murmured, "Alright Xiggy."

Ignoring his new found nickname for the moment, Xigbar led the other male down the gray hall. Hoping that they would make it to the dining hall obstacle free.

* * *

Lea scratched at his arm with such fervency, he was surprised he hadn't begun to bleed. Damn experiments. Just when it'd seemed he had gotten off without any side effects, a rash popped up on his arm. That combined with Myde's current blindness was ensuring a _terrific_ evening.

"Stop scratching it Lea."

The calm and chastising tone had him glancing back at his currently blind friend, and his shadow who tailed behind Myde as they marched down the gray hall. With Myde trapped between the two of them, the two worked on safely guiding the male to the dining hall.

"Stop trying to mother me or I'll leave you to fend for yourself," retorted Lea. Hands tightened on his shoulders before Myde responded in a tone coated with ice, "Don't be a dick Lea."

A response was poised on the tip of Lea's tongue, but rather than let the words fly, he caged them. The hallway was not the place to get into a fight, especially when the guards were just looking for an excuse to pound on them with their nightsticks.

Besides, he could let the insult slide. With Demyx being MIA for the last two hours or so- who could really tell time in a gray world with no clocks- there was no reason to wind Myde up more than he already was.

Lea pulled Myde to stand in line with the others garbed in gray, abandoning Axel to find them a gray table to dine at. The gray line slowly moved, step by step, tray by tray. Each prisoner stepping up to accept the gray slop that passed for food.

* * *

"Are we almost there Xiggy?"

"Kid, I will tell you when we get there." Xigbar rolled his eye as he and his companion tromped down the hall. Invisible to the guards that leaned against the gray walls. Guards were a sign that they had to be getting close, and that he would soon be parting the company of the clingy mullet-haired shadow.

When they turned the final corner, it wasn't simply the gray dining hall doors that greeted them. Another shadow stood before the doors. He turned flat yellow eyes to Xigbar, his face marred by an 'x' shaped scar. Neither male spoke a word as they studied each other, hostility pouring off of them to fill the surrounding air.

Unsure of what was going on, Demyx chewed on his bottom lip and simply wondered what was taking place beyond the gray cloud that shrouded his vision. If he squinted his eyes, he could barely make out a form up ahead. Was a guard blocking their way? His chewed up lips parted to voice this question, until to be cut off by a foreign voice.

"Poaching in the kiddy pool now Xigbar?" The other shadow tilted his head slightly, his long sky blue hair, topped with combed back spikes, fell away to reveal a pointed ear that's pierced by a single silver stud. "How far will you drop?"

"Unlike you," Xigbar reached back to wrap an arm around Demyx's shoulders and drag him forward, "I haven't dropped down to my knees just yet."

Anger whipped through the air like lightning before vanishing beneath a false aura of calm. "Watch your words Xigbar, or you may lose your other eye."

The gray doors that led to the gray dining hall opened as the first batch of gray garbed prisoners were escorted out to be returned to their gray cells. The blue haired shadow melded into the crowd, not bothering to spare a last glance at Xigbar.

"Xigbar?" murmured a tentative Demyx.

"Hold on kid." As the last of the gray prisoner's stepped through the gray doorway, Xigbar hurriedly shoved Demyx over. He'd have to get the kid through now, or else risk having guards wonder why doors were opening and closing on their own.

"What-" Panic filled Demyx as he suddenly found himself being shoved. He blindly failed his arms as he stumbled forward, smacking it against the gray door that firmly closed behind him. Pain shot up his hand, drawing a small whine from him before he cradled the injured appendage to his and waited.

"Demyx?"

…That wasn't Xigbar.

"Axel?"

A warm flung itself around his shoulders, pulling him close to a familiar body.

"Man, we've been looking all over for you!"

* * *

I planned to have this chapter out 5 days ago, but something came up. That something being spring cleaning and I took ill. I think the flu was trying to wrap it's fingers around me, may still be trying to. Hopefully it fails 8D

Now, I'm going to go ahead and explain some specifics regarding the relationship between a shadow and its human.

A human and a shadow are essentially the same person, yet not. Confusing yes? xD

When a shadow is born, it's born with most knowledge and memories that its human carries. Keyword is most. What knowledge and memories depends upon what is most prominent in their human's mind.

Now for pain/illness/etc., if a human suffers, their shadow suffers too. But what happens to the shadow isn't as strong, it's like an echo.

An example is Lea's rash. An irritation for Lea, but an easily ignored minor irritation for Axel.

In regards to death, human dies, their shadow dies.

Any questions?


	7. Chapter 7

Cerulean eyes watched a clock on the gray wall. Each second that passed signifying that he had been in this gray cell a second longer, another moment of his life come and gone. How much time has this place stolen from him? How much of his life have they wasted?

Too much.

The hands of the clock stopped, and for all but him and his companion, as had time. They would not have long, so they would act fast.

He looked to his shadow, their matching eyes locking. Perfect mirror images of each other, if one excluded the fact that the shadow's hair was platinum blond and his chestnut brown. They both wore their hair in the same military short style, and kept their facial hair short and neat. Just because they were caged like animals didn't mean that had to act like savages.

With synchronized steps, they began to circle around the small gray cell. Sweat had already begun to bead on the shadow's skin, a sign of the strain he was currently under.

"We failed."

"We will try again," countered the shadow in a dismissive manner.

"We will need help to conquer this game."

Silence greeted the man's words, the shadow not knowing how to respond. In the beginning of this whole fiasco, they had agreed that it would be safest if it were just them. To inform others of their discovery, of what the shadows were capable of, opened the doors to chaos. Chaos would put the guards on high alert, and make escape even more difficult.

Taking advantage of the shadow's silence, the man pressed on, "While I'm here, you can observe the others. Find some reliable players from this over stacked deck who we can pull to our side."

"Each new player added will raise the stakes," murmured the shadow, his steps faltering. Soon, he would no longer be able to hold back the waves of time.

"I know," replied the man as he reclaimed his position before they started their little meeting, "it just makes the game all the more interesting."

The steady tick of the clock once again filled the gray cell, echoing off the gray walls as man and shadow stared at each other. Moments later, the squeaking of rusted hinges interrupted the ticking of the clock.

Rough hands grasped the man to drag him off. Giving him no leeway to try and keep up with their quickly paced steps. All the shadow could do, was stare after his human. It defied every instinct he had to not follow in the man's steps.

But he had been given a task, and if he were to follow, then he might not get the chance to escape at a later time. Before the old gray door could be slammed shut, he hurried out, brushing against a guard. The guard's startled words followed him down the halls as he sought a place to wait out the side effects that would be hitting him during his human's experimentation. After which, he would go hunting.

* * *

I took a bit of a break, but I have returned xD;

Sorry this chapter is so short, but I thought it more dramatic to not have Demyx or any of the others in it. It adds to the mystery of the man's identity, though I'm pretty sure most know who he is.

Howlingwolf201:

1) It's out now of course 8D

2) Yes, but the effect is not as severe. Instinct drives a shadow to protect their shadow from any form of harm as their human is their lifeline. (A shadow can die though) So if a shadow is say, stabbed, they unconsciously try to keep most of the pain to themselves. A human would feel a dull ache where the shadow had been stabbed.

3) Yes

I do not own Kingdom Hearts


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